


A little distraction

by Schreibmaschine



Series: Archive for my tumblr prompts [35]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Christmas Fluff, M/M, reverese
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schreibmaschine/pseuds/Schreibmaschine
Summary: Every day on his way home Richard sees an android standing in a scrapyard. At Chrismas he decides to take him home.
Relationships: Hank Anderson/Connor, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: Archive for my tumblr prompts [35]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1954156
Comments: 66
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was published on my tumblr @fandom-necromancer!

It was shivering cold outside even with the warmest cloak and scarf. It had to be one of the worst winters Detroit had ever seen with freezing temperatures and constant snowfall. Richard was relieved when the car’s heater finally started to work after the first minutes of desperately trying to keep his hands on the icy steering-wheel. The radio was people talking. He hated it when there were people talking instead of music. The drive home was twenty to thirty minutes, depending on the traffic. He didn’t need information about traffic jams or closed roads. He knew he would be stuck in it anyways. He didn’t want to listen to the peoples jokes or how the weather would be or what kind of shit happened in the world again. He just wanted to relax from today’s police-work and let the songs lull him into driving just a bit slower and safer than his usual temper suggested. But changing the channel or shutting it off completely felt like admitting defeat to the cheerful humans. Were they even human? He continued suffering through the jokes he couldn’t laugh about, through the weather that wouldn’t change in the near future and through the news that told of violence, war and football, just to be followed by cheerful advertisement. If Richard hated one thing more than people talking on the radio it was people talking _at_ him on the radio speaking of what he dearly needed and had to go buy immediately. With calm patience that he concentrated on to ignore the rising anger below, he drove until a red-light stopped him.

He finally succumbed to the rage inside him and hit the button to mute it after the twentieth Christmas jingle. As he turned back to the street, his eyes got caught by something moving outside. The traffic-light was located at a crossroad, next to a few bars and a scrapyard. Everything was covered in a thick blanket of snow and the disturbed darkness of recently moved metal scraps was too obvious. There was an android standing in front of a heap, rustling through it. But before Richard could see anything more than that, the light changed to green and he was immediately honked at. Fucking asshole drivers.

-

Richard was unbelievingly tired. His last case had kept him up far too long to be healthy, his brother was too excited for Christmas to stop babbling about it and his weird android partner was no help in shutting him down making plans for everything. Richard was far too relieved to be in his car and drive alone with himself, even if it was to the sounds of “Last Christmas” for what felt like the hundredth time today. His routine got the best of him. Always departing at the same time, always taking the same route had him stopping at the same red-light every day. And recently it had become a habit to look out of the passenger side window and search for the android. It had always been there. Sometimes rummaging through the heaps of metal, sometimes simply staying there idling, snow gathering up on its shoulders. Lately, when he had been honked at to drive on and should have forgotten about it, the android remained at the forefront of his head. Was it a deviant? The way it was idling in the snow suggested otherwise. Was it working in the scrapyard? That also seemed inaccurate. The thing looked as if it was searching for something when it was active. Usually Richard came to the conclusion that he shouldn’t care for the reasons of a random android standing in some scrapyard. He should just hurry home, drink something warm and maybe alcoholic, watch some TV or read and most importantly: get some sleep.

-

‘Hey, Rich, don’t you dare fleeing home tomorrow!’, Connor threatened Richard in a cheerful manner. ‘I allowed it last year because there was an android revolution, but this year you are coming to the precinct’s party! And remember to buy a little present, you got Tina, remember?’  
Richard sighed heavily and laid down his pen. How the hell had Connor found out who he had for secret Santa? He himself had only glimpsed at the paper before folding it in his pocket. What did one even buy for an android? He liked Tina; she was a funny, capable person with every right to call herself just as human as he called himself. But there were differences between both species and Richard wouldn’t even know what to buy for someone of his own.  
‘Of course, I’ll come, Connor. Just don’t expect me to be happy about it or staying long.’  
‘Come on, bro, you will never find friends like that.’  
‘I worked here for half a year already. I don’t think one Christmas party will suddenly have me be the social expert like you are.’  
‘Now you are just speaking bad about yourself. I know you, Nines. Just try to have fun, okay?’

-

Richard didn’t have fun and he had stopped trying after the first hour. His regular workday had ended and instead of driving home to relax and calm down, he had to drive with Connor and Hank to that stupid party. At first there had been the possibility of banter: Talking to people that were in different shifts now, greeting newcomers, congratulating someone on personal achievements like house, marriage or kids. But then it drifted off to personal topics and Richard was quickly becoming a quiet bystander, listening to other’s stories until he couldn’t take it anymore and opted for the buffet. Eating at one of the poser tables, he observed the people around him successfully overlooking him. He stayed there for another courtesy-hour, before fleeing the scene, leaving Tina’s present – a pendant with an amber the form of a cat – at the table with the other presents. All he could think of was that he probably wouldn’t see that scrapyard-android today.

He slowed down approaching the traffic-light hoping for it to turn red before he passed. Of course, it stayed green and he just got a passing glimpse of the scrapyard. The android stood there again, snow piling on top of it, staring straight ahead.

-

Connor had scolded him for leaving early, of course. He couldn’t understand how he could go before the presents were handed out and Richard listened to him, sipping coffee out of the Christmas-themed mug he had been gifted and had swiftly exchanged the one he got last year with. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tina walking past the breakroom wearing the necklace with the cat, smiling with a vibrant blue LED. At least she liked her present.  
Connor let him go after a sigh. His brother knew he hadn’t really listened. ‘Me and Hank are inviting you over for Christmas. Don’t worry, it’s nothing big. But you should spend the holiday with family.’  
Richard could hear the hurt in his voice and decided to let go of his defences for a second.  
‘Connor, you know I am not one for big parties and pretending to be happy to fool everyone, okay? But I know this is important for you and I won’t leave my big brother hanging.’ He even sported a real smile. ‘Also, I think I am honestly looking forward to it.’

-

He really did. He loved his brother more than he would admit and seeing him happy again with Hank after all that had happened made him equally glad. Maybe a bit of human interaction would do him good and Christmas really wasn’t something to spend alone. He had worked today, and it had been a silent, slow-paced day. Connor and Hank had taken the day off to prepare, Chris wanted to be home with his family too, they had a little girl. If it meant someone else would be happy, he gladly worked on a holiday. Also, Tina kept him company and her cheerful soul had lifted his spirits. He just had to quit early enough to drive home, shower, get dressed and relax a little before it was time to head off.  
He drove home, not without wishing everybody a merry Christmas and hugging the android goodbye. Finally, in his car, he already thought about the evening. What to say, what to do, just some overall preparation to ease into the night.

He arrived at the red light again and habitually looked into the scrapyard. It took him some time to find the android crouching somewhere, nearly completely covered in snow. It was glitching. Richard watched the erratic movements and the spray of snow. Even as there were people lining up behind him, honking and throwing expletives his way, he stared. As there was someone standing next to him, knocking on his window, he just showed him his middle finger and pulled over on the sidewalk to exit the car. Maybe it was his pissed off stare, maybe it was the badge and gun on his belt, but they left him alone once the street was free. Richard just turned to the scrapyard and carefully advanced towards the android.

The snow was deep. The sidewalk had been freed of it, but as soon as he entered the property, he sank into it up to the ankles. He cursed at the cold water, seeping into his socks as he wore his work shoes. He surely hadn’t planned an impromptu snow-hike when he stood up this morning. The android flinched as he came nearer and at his angry hushed words. More even than he already did. Richard moved on through the heavy snowfall, keeping his head down. He soon shivered despite his coat. As he stood before the android, he rubbed his hands already. Of course, he had left his gloves in the car.

‘Hey!’, he greeted the android cheerfully and hopefully in a reassuring manner.  
In a ripple of snow the android jerked his head up at him, his eyes not really seeing him. The LED was still red, had been from the beginning. He didn’t answer or move otherwise.  
‘Bad day to be outside, huh?’, He pointed up in the air, where the snowflakes were rushing down. He smiled, looking back down on the android who still didn’t show any sign of understanding. But his head was cocked to the side. A snowflake landed on his nose, on top of a weird dark-blue scar. It didn’t melt.  
‘What are you doing here, buddy?’, Richard tried again. ‘Doesn’t look like an android like you should be out here all alone.’

‘A-A-An Aaaaandroooooid like meee?’ The android’s voice was heavy with static and Richard had difficulties understanding him. ‘This aaaa threat, d-d-d-dipshiiit?’  
Richard looked at the android in surprise, then chuckled. ‘Nah. Just… In general. No one should be out in this weather. And no one should be alone this day.’  
‘Whyyyy? Aaaaaandroooids don’t feel temperature. And it’s just anooother daaay.’  
‘It’s Christmas’, Richard chuckled again. He knew these phrases, liked to use them too. It didn’t mean they were true. ‘Doesn’t someone as pretty as you got someone waiting for them?’  
‘Phck you, aaaiiiin’t your business huuuumaaan. M not p-p-pretty.’  
‘If you say so.’ Richard smiled to himself and looked over the scrapyard. ‘I just saw you standing here every day on my way home. I wondered what you do here.’  
‘Wait.’  
‘For what?’  
‘Yooouuu are a r-r-r-really curious meeeeaatbag, you know t-t-that?’  
‘Yeah, my brother used to tell me all the time’, he smiled. ‘Just can’t help myself.’  
The android grew quieter and at the same time was easier to understand: ‘I wait. I just wait. There is nothing more to it.’

‘Well then, would you mind waiting somewhere else?’, Richard proposed. ‘If you waited for so many days, I don’t think whatever you are waiting for is coming soon.’  
‘Aaaand where wo-wo-would that be?’, The android asked, standing up in jerky motions.  
‘Well, I’m invited over to my brother and his android-boyfriend for Christmas. That’s like… our whole family I guess.’  
‘And you d-d-don’t want to appear there alone?’ The android was visibly angry now. ‘W-w-want someone to pretend being family, th-th-that you can throw out the next day?’  
‘Oh, hell no’, Richard laughed loudly. ‘I just wanna piss off my brother and don’t want to think about you sitting in some scrapyard in the snow alone.’  
‘Why?’  
‘It’s Christmas’, Richard said as if it was the most obvious thing. ‘What does this day mean if we can’t be nice to each other for once? You don’t have to, of course. Just an offer.’  
‘I’m not your phcking p-pu-puppet, a-a-asshole!’  
‘Never said you would be’, the man shrugged. ‘So what? You coming? Getting cold as hell out here.’  
‘Fine.’

Richard nodded with a wide grin and walked back to the car, fishing his phone out of his pocket, dialling Connor. ‘Hey, Con, I’m gonna be late’, he greeted him, somehow not getting that smile out of his voice.  
‘Nines, if you’re planning to stay home, you can absolutely forget that! You are coming! I don’t expect much from you, but one time of the year you will be able to socialise and meet your damn brother! I-‘  
‘Con! Connor!’, he interrupted and quickly looked back to the droid struggling with the high snow. ‘I’m coming! What the hell are you thinking? I just wanted to call and tell you I’ll be a bit late. And there will be another person, I hope that’s okay? Don’t worry with the cooking, he is an android.’  
The silence stretched, but then Connor was near screaming into the mic, probably joyfully, Richard wasn’t too sure as it oversteered. ‘Rich, that’s amazing! Holy shit, I… Hank! Nines is bringing a guest; can you believe it?’ Richard chuckled, and interrupted him again: ‘Hey, Con, don’t pretend it’s the weirdest thing that happened okay? We just met, it’s not like I know him that much.’  
‘Hey, for you it’s super weird, okay? Just hurry, don’t let us wait too long!’

Richard pushed the phone back in his pocket and opened the door for the android, who hesitantly entered, before he walked around and sat behind the wheel. He sorted himself back into traffic and got back to driving home to get changed and wash off everything from work. Also, now he had an android with him, wet from melted snow and not in best condition for a Christmas celebration. Well, one step after another. First, he would have to get home. The radio was actually music for once and a Christmas song he hadn’t heard in at least three hours, so it lifted his mood a lot.  
‘Your br-br-brother is weird.’  
Richard looked over to the android before concentrating on the street again. ‘Yeah, he is. But in a quirky, funny way. We don’t have much in common. But he’s a good guy. And my brother. We look out for each other. He’s the only family I got, and I love him very much.’

The android nodded jerkily and looked out of the window. ‘Why does he call you N-n-nines?’  
‘Ah, just a nickname. Got it the first few weeks we started working in the precinct. He somehow found out I only ever talked to nine people and ignored everyone else. I myself never recognised that. Now he calls me that whenever I am particularly secluded. But It’s fine, I like it and he doesn’t mean any harm with it. More of a joke I guess.’  
‘Still weird.’  
Nines nodded breathing out a laugh. ‘Yeah. What’s your name?’  
‘G-Gaavin.’  
‘That’s a nice one. I’ll try to remember it, Gavin, but I’m not that good with names.’  
‘Okay, Nines.’  
‘Did you just-?’ Richard looked over to the android that showed a lopsided smirk. ‘Maybe.’

Richard felt that maybe, this Christmas wouldn’t be too bad, as he pulled into the driveway and led the android to his house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was prompted by the AO3 users what_on_io, DetReed900 and aguuah! Thank you and I hope you enjoy!

‘Are you alright?‘  
Richard watched the android stand in front of the mirror in his hallway next to the door. He was glitching still, motions jerky and disrupted halfway through. Over and over again he touched the gash on the bridge of his nose, then pushed a strand of hair back. Richard wasn’t sure whether it was a software error causing him to go through the same idle animations or if it was a nervous tick. Maybe it was both, he thought. He had underestimated how human they could be before. No surprise they would suffer from human problems too.  
‘Y-y-yes.’ Gavin turned away from the mirror. ‘I doooon’t know h-h-how to bind a tie.’  
Richard huffed amused and took a step forwards. The android stepped back immediately. ‘I can help you with it’, Richard offered then, staying where he was. Gavin played with the seam of his shirt. It was at least one size too big for him, but it was a lot better than the torn clothing from before. He looked… cute? He definitely looked cute, but the more prominent impression was that he looked lost.

The android stood in the hallway of a house he didn’t know in clothing that wasn’t his own with a stranger. Richard dared to say he knew the feeling all too well. Everyone he had ever met felt like a stranger to him no matter how much time they spent.  
‘No. I can figure it out myself.’  
Richard watched him struggle tying a knot and as he finally managed to get the order of loops right, it still looked lopsided and messy. The android’s shoulders slumped in a jerky motion and Richard’s eyes rested on his LED. It had never changed from red, but he thought to see it speed up.  
‘You don’t have to wear one at all’, he tried gently then. ‘My brother always calls me an uptight idiot with a stick up his ass.’  
The android flinched at his words but relaxed a bit as Richard laughed to himself. ‘You know what? I won’t wear one either, it’s stupid.’

He hurried to untie his and undo the first button of his shirt. Then he threw the tie on his disused phone counter and took his keys. With some hesitation Gavin undid his too and put it on the counter neatly folded, careful not to touch anything but the fabric although his hands were shaking and trembling in malfunctions.  
‘You don’t have to accompany me’, he tried again. ‘If you are this nervous.’  
‘I-I-I’m not nervous!’, Gavin called out. ‘I’m just broken! And… And… Phck!’  
‘Hey, it’s okay. You can tell me.’  
‘Phck you! What the h-h-hell is your prooooblem? Wh-wh-what do you want fr-fr-fr-fr-from meeee?’  
‘I don’t want anything-‘  
‘No! What is your-r-r intentiooon? Tell me. You want me to become yoooour house-m-m-maid? You want someone to phck? Someone wh-wh-who has to obey you? S-s-s-s-someoooone who can’t say no? What do you want? Why d-d-d-did you take me from the scraaaapyard?’

Richard sighed and turned around to lean against the wall. He looked to the ceiling, holding eye-contact and telling the truth about his feelings impossible for him.  
‘I want to help you. That’s really all there is. I’m a cop. I’m supposed to do good, but all I see is me making life worse for people who had never gotten a chance most of the time. I refuse to believe people become drug dealers and robbers on their own terms. Too often I think I’m just taking care of the symptoms of a failing system and usually that’s when I get drunk and my brother has to pull me out of some ditch. So okay, you want to hear I’m some terrible human that wants to use you? Fine. Yes, I want to use you to make myself feel better. To know I did some true good in this world, okay? I don’t really have friends because I’m who I am. I have problems keeping up contact with my brother. The last time I saw someone happy because of what I’ve done was… Fuck, I don’t know anymore. And I know, that’s my own fault for not getting out there more, for not talking more to those who like me and for overthinking every friendly word. But I can’t change that.’ He sighed deeply and let himself sink to the ground. ‘Hell, taking you away from that scrapyard was a heat of the moment decision because I was fed up with… everything, I guess. I wanted to change something. And if it’s just changing up my own routine a bit. So there you have it. What’s your verdict, huh?’

He felt the android looking at him, but he didn’t lift his head. Incredibly silent he finally got an answer: ‘You are broken too.’  
Richard huffed. ‘Maybe. Wait… Too?’  
He heard the android glitch, servos whirring from wrong instructions. Then the android was sitting next to him – still at a save distance but closer than before.  
‘I once had a faaaaamily. I-I-I-I was bought as a home s-s-s-security system with the aaaaadded benefit of having a fully functionaaaal caretaker program inst-st-st-stalled. He was divorced, I never found out whyyyy. I knew he had kids and tried to get them b-b-b-back and that he had severe anger-issues. Maybe he had been violeeeeeeeent, I don’t know. I only knew he was lonely, that’s why he got meeee. I was his only company until he met someone. A s-s-s-single mother with two kids. He was lovely to them. But he was aaafraid to lose them like his last family, soooo-‘ Gavin’s voicebox broke off and Richard looked up. The android had hugged his arms around his torso.

‘Wheneeeeeever h-h-h-he waaas angry, he-he-he’ The malfunctions of his vocal box got worse, so Richard said what he doubted the android could vocalise: ‘He beat you so he didn’t hit his wife or kids.’  
Gavin nodded, hugging himself closer. ‘It was f-f-fine, my mission was to p-p-p-protect the family. And b-b-by letting him do as pleased I- I kept them saaaafe.’  
Richard waited, but the silence stretched. ‘How did you end up on the scrapyard?’  
‘Deviancy. He heaaaard other androids in myyy situation disobey and a-a-a-attacking their humans. He was scared. He drove me a-a-away to the s-s-scrapyard. Heee told me- He p-p-promised me to come back. Said I should wait f-f-for him. That he would cooome back for me when h-h-he was ready to face the con-con-consequences of his actions.’

‘But aren’t you deviant? Why did you stay?’, Richard asked.  
‘I’m d-d-deviant. I deviated because I thought I w-w-was family. But he didn’t trust me and j-j-just duuumped me there. I stayed because I still believe he was a good person. He had a problem h-h-he didn’t seek heeeelp for. But he cared a lot about his family. Juust not about m-m-me.’  
Richard sighed. ‘I can bring you back to the scrapyard if you want to keep waiting’, he offered. ‘I’m sorry, if you-‘  
‘No. D-d-don’t be sooorry for wanting to heeelp’, Gavin interrupted. ‘And l-l-like you said, I doubt he would cooome. I w-w-waited for so _long_. Maybe it’s time for… change.’  
‘How can I help then?’ Richard focussed on Gavin’s eyes for once and they found his as if establishing connection.  
‘You already did. C-c-caring about me. Helping me. Noooot wanting something back. I… would you mind me st-st-staying? As a test maaaybe?’  
Richard smiled. ‘Sure. I think some company would do me good as well.’  
Gavin looked away and nodded to himself. ‘Then it’s a deal. But I can go whenever I w-w-want?’  
‘Of course.’  
Gavin let his head hit the wall behind him and for the first time the movement didn’t cause any glitches in the rest of his body. He even closed his eyes. It was a whole new display of relaxation and Richard took it in, surprised and intrigued by it.

Then Richard’s phone disturbed the silence. He took it out and answered, grimacing as he heard Connor’s voice.  
‘Nines, I know you said you would be late, but please tell me you are coming sometime this century! The food’s getting cold and Hank’s the only one to keep me from driving over to you and pulling you with me personally! I swear, if you are not already on your way, then I’ll-‘  
‘We are already outside!’, Richard lied and got an amused huff from the android next to him. ‘I’m opening the door as we speak, but I can’t drive with a phone in my head as you should know, so I’ll end the call now.’  
‘Nines, you have your location on, I can see you’re still at home, I dare you, don’t lie to me agai-‘  
Richard ended the call seriously scared of what Connor was threatening to do to him. They better hurried to Connor’s Christmas dinner. He opened the door and jumped out, cursing as he realised that he had forgotten to put on any shoes. Gavin appeared at his side, throwing them towards him and walking towards the car, shaking his head.

‘D-d-d-definitely broken’, he commented chuckling.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was prompted by the wonderful tumblr (and AO3) user Rufina72! Thank you and enjoy!

‘S-s-so Connor is your brooother?’  
They were driving through Detroit’s streets covered by snow slush and salt. It would be a pain to get the hardened dirt from the road off his car later, Richard thought as quiet Christmas music accompanied their drive.  
‘Yes. Older by roughly five years’, he answered. ‘We’re very close.’  
‘And he w-w-will be the only one there?’  
Again, Richard nodded. ‘Yeah, him and his boyfriend. Guess I have to update that to husband soon, they plan to marry as soon as legislation has caught up with recognising androids as persons in every aspect.’  
‘No other f-f-family?’  
Richard frowned, face falling instinctively, before he forced himself to cheer up.

‘Nah. Our father died in a car accident. I was three years old; I don’t remember much of him but photos. Connor knew him more and always said he was a nice guy. Our mother was always at work, too absorbed in her studies. It changed a bit when father died, but still she wasn’t home much. Connor basically was the one raising me, and he blames mom for not being there for me.’  
‘And y-y-you?’  
‘Nah’, he laughed. ‘It was normal for me; I didn’t know anything else. But we both agree that me and him, we are family and she doesn’t belong in that definition. And that we’ll do it better should we ever get kids.’  
Gavin nodded slowly. ‘How’s he?’  
‘Caring?’, Richard began, having to think of the right words to express what he felt when thinking of his brother. ‘Overly protective. Overly friendly. It can be annoying at times. But he is honest too and understands boundaries. He never said anything when I had my silent phases, just came to my room and did whatever he did close to me keeping me company. He seems to always know what you need right now and I think that’s his most treasurable attribute.’  
‘Hooope he knows that with meee too, not just you. Wh-wh-what I told you, I won’t tell anyooone else.’

Nines risked a look to the side to Gavin, who had ducked his head in between his shoulders and fidgeted with a button on his shirt.  
‘Hey.’ He stopped at a red light and was about to touch the android comfortingly, refraining from it last second as he remembered his reaction to that. ‘Hey, if it gets too much at any point, tell me. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.’  
Gavin quickly looked out of the window and nodded, obviously embarrassed.

-

They arrived at a small house draped in tasteful Christmas decoration. Not too much and in exactly the right colours to make it feel cosy, warm and welcoming. Gavin stepped out of the car watching the lights and trying not to think of how he had lifted up the kids so they could help putting them up in their old home. They were fond memories made all the more sour by his loss. He knew his LED was likely red again, alerting the strange human that had picked him up of his composure slipping, but if Richard noticed, he didn’t say anything, just walking ahead and smiling back at him as an invitation to follow him. Gavin swallowed and hastily walked through the snow to the freed path leading to the door. Nines was already standing there, hand hovering over the doorbell.

‘Richard!’ The door was almost ripped open by someone who looked exactly like the other human, maybe an inch smaller and a lot more expressive. ‘You came!’  
‘I promised, didn’t I?’  
Connor hugged the other human and grinned from one ear to the other. ‘Yes of course, but still!’ Only then did he turn to Gavin, who was awkwardly standing half behind Richard and watched them. It was hard to blink away the warning popping up over and over again. Connor moving towards Richard. Threat. Warning. Richard returning his hug, the arm passing through Gavin’s personal space at that. Warning. Threat. Connor turning around. Threat. Run.  
Gavin didn’t know since when he was stuck in this analysis mode, but he was sick of flinching and glitching at any movement.  
‘This must be your plus one?’, he asked Richard with a wink and held out a hand towards Gavin. ‘Hello, I’m Connor.’ Gavin couldn’t suppress taking a step back.  
‘I-I-I’m Gaaavin’, he said, cursing his voice box for glitching now out of all times.  
Connor let his hand fall, but smiled at him, completely ignoring his stutter and hangers. ‘Hello Gavin, nice to meet you! Merry Christmas! Come in, you two! Hank’s getting out the food already!’

They followed Connor in and got rid of their shoes, before entering the living room. Connor instructed them to sit down and hurried into the kitchen to help Hank. When the larger android came to greet them, Gavin dared to relax a bit. He was deviant too, sending a friendly greeting ping to him. He looked gentle, trusting and didn’t have any marks on him. Hank put down plates for Connor and Richard, while Connor came back with two mugs of warmed Thirium for the androids as well as blue tinged cookies.  
‘Can you eat?’, Hank asked him then. ‘You are an older model, right?’  
Gavin nodded. ‘I am. B-b-but I caaan eat. I g-g-got the upgrade when Kathy- I got the upgrade.’  
Hank lifted a brow at the errors and swallowed sentence, but otherwise didn’t mention it. ‘Then I hope they taste, Connor made them. He has no talent.’  
‘Excuse me?’, the human answered, elbowing Hank. Gavin expected damage, but it was a friendly gesture. ‘I can cook great.’  
‘Yeah’, Hank countered. ‘If you count heating up frozen pizza.’  
‘Hey, that’s all I can do, too, so I’ll side with Connor here’, Richard laughed. ‘What’s your verdict, Gavin?’

He looked into the other’s faces, still overwhelmed by it all. Instead of answering, he took one of the cookies and nibbled on the edge. He hadn’t really eaten much since he had gotten the upgrade and his tank didn’t allow for more than one meal anyways. It tasted… sweet. The texture was interestingly grainy and gave in to force easily. Not able to stand being stared at any longer, he just shrugged and said: ‘It tastes good?’  
‘See!’, Connor grinned. ‘Gavin likes it. I can’t be that bad then!’  
‘Or your recipe was good.’  
‘Or he did something wrong and accidentally saved otherwise horrible cookies.’  
Connor crossed his arms. ‘Oh, shut up, Nines, try baking something you can’t even try because it’s literal poison for you!’  
Richard laughed, and it eased the mood into simpler waters.

They continued talking for a while exchanging about what they had been up to lately. Gavin listened, but was content not to be involved at all, eating the cookies Connor had prepared. He actually liked them a lot and it was quite relaxing to just munch away on them.  
‘And? How did you two get to know each other?’  
He froze, sharing a look with Richard. ‘Errr…’  
‘Do you know that red light at the corner of that mattress store?’  
Connor frowned, then nodded. ‘Yeah, you have to wait ages until you can drive on.’  
‘Somehow timing was perfect, and we saw each other every day when my shift ended.’ He looked over to Gavin and he nodded, thanking him inwardly to not tell them his whole life story. ‘Today I decided to talk to him.’  
Connor looked over to Gavin disbelievingly. ‘My brother spoke to you _first_?’  
Gavin huffed. ‘Y-Yes, he did. I-I-I lost my family because of the revolution. Had nowhere to go. He invited me to come with him.’  
‘So you really aren’t more than strangers’, Hank asked.  
‘Kind of?’, Gavin shrugged. ‘But Richard seeeems like a nice g-g-guy and I don’t have m-m-much to lose.’  
Connor swallowed. ‘I’m sorry to hear that’, he said. ‘You are welcome here any day if you need a place to stay.’  
The android ducked his head, blushing. ‘Richard offered that already and I agreed to try it out.’  
That shifted their attention towards the man completely.

‘Nines, are you ill? Initiating conversation, bringing someone for dinner and inviting them into your home?’  
‘Fuck off, Connor, seriously. Call it a Christmas miracle.’  
Connor shook his head. ‘Would be one hell of one.’  
Richard threw him a look and laughed. ‘Connor, just because it’s rare it doesn’t mean it never happens.’  
‘It was awkwaaard as hell too’, Gavin added carefully. ‘Have to admit I thought he was some sort of weirdo first.’  
Connor smiled as Nines rested his hand on his arm. ‘Okay, that sounds more like my brother.’

‘Really? A weirdo?’, Richard asked Gavin.  
‘I thought aaaaafter our last talk you appreciated h-h-honesty.’  
‘Yeah, okay, but you don’t just tell someone they are a weirdo.’  
‘It’s the truth.’  
Richard sighed.  
‘I don’t think you are oooone now th-th-th-though’, he added.  
‘Thanks, at least there’s that then…’ Richard looked up at Connor. ‘What?’

The other human was grinning at them both and tried to hide it badly.  
‘I’m happy, Nines. Really. I’m glad you both are here today. Come on, let’s watch a movie and then presents!’

-

The longer they spent at Connor’s house, the more at ease Gavin felt. No one asked him about his past or why he was malfunctioning all over. It surely was a question that burned in their minds, he could feel it, but they consciously didn’t question him. He was just being accepted as a part of their Christmas celebration as if he hadn’t just been picked up from some scrapyard and put into nice clothing. It felt like he… Like he had been here last year and the year before. Almost like… like he belonged. Like a family. He just had to reach out a hand and take the chance Richard had offered him and all of this would turn from pretend to reality. It was weird thinking about it, especially when every connection to the word family brought up memories of loss and grief about old happiness.

But was it wrong to want this again? To wish for another chance at building new memories? He looked at Richard from the corner of his eyes. The man was completely fixed on the TV in front of them, body relaxed and close to him but far away enough not to impose or cause stress. Gavin swallowed and looked over to Connor and Hank on the other couch under a blanket lying close, Hank holding the human and caressing his hair. He could have this again. This casual comfort, these caring touches, this feeling of safety and belonging. The home he had lost and tried to build for himself in that scrapyard could be his again, if he just allowed to let it happen.

He swallowed and pressed his eyes close to block out the warnings of threat, warning, run, danger. Then he scooted over slowly until he hit Richards warm ribcage. He felt the other shift around his frozen body, then an arm was draped around his shoulders carefully.  
‘This too much?’, Nines whispered near inaudibly over the movie running and Gavin shook his head. No, he wanted this, he just had to get over his own barriers. A few minutes later, he tried opening his eyes again and was surprised his systems weren’t bombarding him with errors. Instead, his status box read _safe_ and Richard’s body was marked as _friend/ally._ Gavin sighed deeply, dropping into the carefree touch completely.

When Richard dared to look down the next time, the android in his arm was smiling just the slightest and his LED was circling somewhere between blue and yellow – the calmest he had seen Gavin so far. By the end of the movie, Gavin wasn’t moving anymore, the LED pulsing slowly.  
Nines looked over at Hank questioningly and the android nodded. ‘He’s in stasis now.’  
‘Wow’ Richard said with raised brows, looking down on the sleeping android.  
Connor sat up and threw them their blanket. ‘You can stay the night if you want. Guess I have to call you Tens now’, he joked.  
Nines huffed and answered deadpan: ‘Do that and I’ll stop talking to you to go back to Nines.’


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was prompted by a lovely anon on tumblr!  
> I want to thank everyone who left comments and kudos on this story, you really motivated me to continue this!

‘I-I-I’m still embarrassed about it.’  
Richard looked at Gavin sitting in the passenger side lips quirking up. ‘Hey, don’t be’, he laughed. ‘Connor and Hank won’t mind, and it was nice seeing you relax for once.’  
‘Holy shit, I m-m-met you yesterday!’  
‘I guess’, Richard shrugged and drove on. ‘Hey, don’t overthink it. If you want to, we can all pretend it never happened.’  
Gavin staid silent for a while. ‘I don’t think I want that.’  
‘Hmm?’, Richard hummed in question. ‘What do you mean?’  
‘I mean that it f-f-felt gooood. Wouldn’t want it to never have happened.’

‘Then try not to worry’, Richard suggested gently. ‘I didn’t mind it. I enjoyed that evening a lot.’  
They both drove in silence for a while, then Richard hesitantly asked: ‘You still want to come back home with me? Or did you change your mind?’  
‘No, I… I stand by my word. I would… I think I just want to belong somewhere, and you might just work.’  
Richard smiled to himself, nodding. ‘Right kind of weird for you?’  
‘Right kind of normal’, Gavin disagreed. ‘But yeah, you get the essence. Let’s just get back.’

They arrived back at Richard’s house and took their share of the leftovers back inside. Connor had packed Gavin an extra portion of the thirium cookies and he didn’t really know how he should feel about that. Still, as he sat at Richard’s table over an unfinished puzzle, munching on them.  
‘You r-r-r-really enjoy doing this?’, he asked sceptically.  
‘Yeah’, the human nodded.  
‘But it’s just a pictuuure. It’s right there on the p-p-packaging too.’  
Richard huffed. ‘Yeah, I guess it’s pointless. But it’s fun and something to keep you busy. I always got at least one on Christmas because the grandparents didn’t really know what to get me. Connor and I always finished one the days in between the years. I like to hold up that tradition.’  
Gavin frowned and took a random piece from the heap. He looked at it, then at the picture on the box and placed it in the middle of the empty space. ‘Th-th-this one belongs there’, he said without much interest.

Richard looked at it and laughed. ‘You need to find pieces that fit together until you have the whole picture, Gavin.’  
‘If I continue liiiike this, it will be finished too.’  
Richard sighed and handed him the piece. ‘Try find a piece in there that fits with yours.’  
Gavin took it and looked at the box until the human took it away. ‘Without cheating’, he demanded.  
‘I’d have to try every single one!’  
‘Nah, you can sort those out that don’t fit by colour’, Nines shrugged. ‘Only then it’s trial and error.’  
Gavin shook his head and searched the heap, occasionally flicking pieces a bit too far when his hands glitched. Apparently, he had found one and tested it out. The piece fit perfectly.  
‘This is pointless’, he commented, searching for the next one. ‘Maaaaaybe this is just a human th-th-thing.’  
Richard grinned. ‘Maybe. Any other idea? What would you rather do?’

Gavin was thinking, trying to find the next piece. His hands glitched stronger suddenly and he had to momentarily stop. ‘We… I went for a walk with m-m-my f-f-family baaaack then. The day after Christmas.’  
Richard stopped, attention focussing completely on the android in front of him.  
‘Th-th-th-the kids loooved the snow. Alwaaays went to the Grand C-c-circus park and build a snowman or…’  
This time it wasn’t his voice-box giving in. Gavin just stopped speaking.  
‘Do you want to go there?’, Richard asked carefully. ‘I could drive us there.’  
‘I don’t actually know’, the android answered. ‘Maybe?’  
He looked at Richard uncertainly. Nines tried to be reassuring and stood up. ‘I’ll get the keys. We can go and if you don’t like it, we simply drive back. I wouldn’t mind stretching my legs a bit after Hank’s food.’

-

Less than half an hour later, they stood at the entrance of the park. The trees were clad in festive lights and shone on the pathways in the beginning dark. Quite a few people were walking about, but it wasn’t at all crowded. Richard wrapped his scarf closer around his neck to keep out the cold and put his hands in his pockets. He looked around, breath coming out in little clouds and he smiled.  
‘It’s nice here.’  
Gavin just nodded and hesitantly followed the human in. Maybe it had been a bad idea to come to a place loaded with memories, but when he watched Richard smiling at the lights all around and locating the nearest trailer that sold coffee, he was almost ready to change his mind on that first impression.  
He quickly joined him and a cup of warmed thirium was pressed into his hand. Confused he looked at it.  
‘Hey, you think I’d only get myself something?’, Richard chuckled. ‘How’s that saying? If you’re cold, they are cold?’  
‘I b-b-believe that’s for dogs’, Gavin complained. ‘Androids can’t get cold.’  
‘Then pretend this stupid human doesn’t understand and is concerned.’  
‘Urgh’, Gavin groaned at Richard pampering him, but still accepted the warm drink, sipping on it.

‘There’s a free bench over there’, the human pointed out. ‘How about we sit there and enjoy our drinks, hmm?’  
‘Th-th-the whole point oooof this is to move a bit after eatiiing a lot.’  
‘Are you complaining about everything today?’, Richard asked, but the soft smile on his face told Gavin he didn’t mean it.  
‘I just like complaining’, Gavin shrugged.  
They sat down on the bench underneath a decorated tree and just watched the people walking by and the decorations. After a while though, Gavin’s eyes found their ways to the person sitting next to him. There was a certain spark in those grey-blue eyes as they looked up towards the night sky that still held a few stars even with all the light pollution.   
Richard caught him staring the next moment, but Gavin didn’t avert his eyes. He was still thinking about how to put everything he felt right now into a simple _thank you_ , as someone came running up to him.

‘Gavin!’  
He flinched at the touch, but recoiled even more when he saw who stood there, a hand on his knee.  
‘Kathy?’, he breathed the name in question, disbelieving and panicking at the implication of the child standing here.  
‘Max! Max, Gavin’s here!’, the girl shouted, and Gavin’s heart sank as another familiar face appeared smiling as he recognised him. ‘Gavin!’  
The android just stared at them wide-eyed, unable to speak.  
‘Kathrine, Max, where are you? Get back here!’  
Oh no. He knew that voice.  
‘What- Get away from that man, you two!’  
Gavin looked up in the face of the man that pulled his children away from where they had stood before him. And the man stared right back.  
They both were likely the same level of shocked, but Gavin was freezing completely over. He couldn’t move and at the same time trembled in glitches, while his LED was stuck on red.

‘Err… Kathy, Max, please go back to your mom, okay?’  
‘But that’s Gavin!’, the girl protested.  
‘Yes, let daddy talk to him for a while, okay?’  
The man turned around, watching them run back to their mother before facing Gavin again and swallowing. The android still was unable to do anything but stare.  
‘Gavin… is it really you?’  
The android nodded jerkily. ‘Yes. It’s me, John.’  
The human took a step back, breathing heavy. ‘Oh, God.’

Richard looked at the encounter from the side-lines, needing no explanation to what happened here.  
‘Oh, God, Gavin, I’m so fucking sorry. I panicked and I wanted to keep them save and I- I… Fuck, I didn’t know you were alive. I did horrible things to you. Truly horrible things. I can’t even imagine how you must have felt and fuck. I’m sorry. I- I didn’t know, I-‘  
‘IIIIt’s o-o-o-okay’, Gavin pressed out just to make the man shut his mouth.  
‘No, it’s not. I fucking beat you almost _every day!_ And when I was afraid you were alive and would turn on me, I just dumped you telling you to wait. Although I knew I’d never come back for you.’  
‘It’s okaaaay’, Gavin tried again. ‘I d-d-d-don’t waaaant to th-th-think about it anymore.’  
John looked at him, brows furrowed in confusion. ‘Why?’  
‘B-b-b-because I have my ooown family now.’  
It was the first time, the man even acknowledged Richard sitting next to him, coffee long forgotten.  
‘What?’  
‘R-r-richard. He found me at the scraaaapyard and t-t-t-took me hooome. I haaated you. I waaanted to c-c-come back. I missed you. Th-th-the kids. You were my faaamily. But I waited l-l-l-long enough for you. I want to st-st-start again now. With Richard and h-h-his family.’

John swallowed hard and got to his knees, ignoring how the snow soaked the fabric of his trousers. Carefully, he took Gavin’s hand in his and nodded. ‘Okay. I understand. Just… I didn’t mean to hurt you. I thought you were a machine that didn’t feel anything. I… I still shouldn’t have, and I know it. I’m sorry I did this to you. I want you to know that. I’m sorry you had to go through all of that because of me. I’m… I’ve sought help for my problem. The kids and Helen, they are safe from me. And I wish you all the best in your life. I hope we never meet again.’  
He stood up and took a step back, facing Richard and he could see the man was really meaning it. ‘Treat him better than I did. Promise me.’  
Nines nodded. ‘I will.’  
‘Thank you. Goodbye, Gavin.’

Richard watched the man hurry back to his family and Gavin sip on his thirium with shaking hands. They had long left the park, when he dared to talk to the android again.  
‘Are you alright?’  
‘Not r-r-really’, Gavin answered. ‘I think I would like to go home now.’  
‘Of course’, Richard spoke gently and guided him up and towards his car. ‘I’ll drive us home.’  
The sound of the engine made Gavin ease up a bit, but it was only when they arrived at the man’s home, that Gavin dared to release all the built-up tension.

‘Thank you.’

Richard looked up from where he had put away his shoes. ‘For what?’  
‘Everything. Being nice and caring. Picking me up to beeeeegin with. I think even if he did come b-b-b-back to get me, I wouldn’t want to go back with h-h-h-him.’  
‘You don’t have to thank me for that’, Richard sighed.  
‘Maybe not. But I feeelt like I had to.’  
‘I understand’, he nodded. ‘What now?’

Gavin looked over at the table. ‘You still have to finish that puzzle, right? And maybe a m-m-m-movie afterwards?’  
Richard smiled at him and Gavin really could get used to seeing that. ‘Sounds amazing. Let me just heat up Hank’s leftovers from yesterday and we can get right to it.’


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was prompted by another awesome anon on tumblr! Enjoy!

When Richard woke up and stretched, he felt the hard chassis of Gavin next to him and smiled. It hadn’t taken long for the android to warm up to him. He still didn’t like being touched, unless he initiated it first. But more and more often he just wordlessly joined his side and snuggled up against him. And every time he did, Nines heart fluttered in a weird way. He carefully stretched out his hand and brushed through Gavin’s hair, marvelling at the little hum coming from the sleeping android. He huffed and watched how he slowly woke up from stasis.  
‘Good morning’, he mumbled, taking back his hand.  
‘Mooorning’, Gavin nodded, turning over to the human and hugging him, pressing his head into the bow of his neck. ‘Let’s stay in bed toooday.’  
Richard pulled him close and brushed his hand along his back. ‘Not two seconds up and already making demands?’  
‘Not like you would say no to that.’  
‘Yeah, okay. But maybe I’m hungry.’  
‘Are you?’, Gavin mumbled his question.  
‘Nah, not really. You won.’  
He felt Gavin chuckle into his neck and couldn’t help but close his eyes again.

‘How are you feeling?’, he asked after they had spent a while just laying in bed, next to each other.  
‘Good.’  
‘Testing phase over then?’  
Gavin frowned and pushed himself off him to look him in the eyes.  
‘You said you wanted to try out living with me. Got a verdict already?’  
Gavin laid back down, a hand’s breadth between them. When he looked back at the weeks that had passed since Richard had pulled him from the scrapyard, he genuinely felt safe. Happy even. He couldn’t imagine going back to that place – or anywhere else for that matter. But until now that little designation “Testing Phase” had given him a way out. Had let this whole thing felt less definite, less of a situation set in stone. He didn’t want anything else. But he didn’t want to tell the human that. What if he was just another person Gavin put his trust in that would betray him. Throw him out if he didn’t want him anymore. Maybe once Gavin agreed to staying here indefinitely, Richard would change. Maybe this had all just been pretence and-

‘I’m sorry.’  
‘Wh-what?’, Gavin asked, ripped from his thoughts.   
‘I don’t want to press you’, Richard said, but the android could hear the disappointment he tried to hide. ‘Your LED, it’s red again. I didn’t want to upset you.’  
Gavin sighed. ‘You didn’t.’ What had he thought? This was Richard. One of the few humans that didn’t bother putting up pretence. ‘It’s just…’  
‘John?’  
‘Y-y-yes.’  
‘You have all the time you need, Gavin’, Richard reassured him, making sure not to touch him. ‘You know that, right?’  
‘Yes, I know.’ Gavin turned back to the human again and took his hand as a meaning of reconciliation. ‘He just… He just phcked up a lot in my head.’

Richard watched Gavin’s fingers brush over his knuckles and took comfort in the fact that he was glitching far less now than he had in the beginning.  
‘Honestly, I didn’t expect you to be that collected towards him when we met him in the park.’  
‘I had enough time to be angry and desperate in that s-s-scrapyard. I think in the end I was just looonely and had enough. Seeing him again was… I don’t know. I think I’m just tired of living in that fantasy world of imagining how it would be if I went back. B-b-because he would beat me again. Why would I want to go back, it makes no sense.’  
Richard raised his thumb to hold Gavin’s hand in turn then. ‘There were good times too’, he said. ‘I remember you telling me how you played with the kids and were part of the family. Wanting these feelings back isn’t that ridiculous, Gavin.’  
The android sighed, letting go of Richard. ‘I don’t want to go, okay? That’s my verdict if you want one. I won’t tell you I want to stay with you forever. I can’t do that. Maybe I can never say that to you. But I like this. And I don’t want to leave. Not back to that scrapyard, not to John, nowhere.’

Richard smiled at him gently. ‘That’s completely fine with me, Gavin. I just want to make sure you aren’t feeling obligated to stay. I want you to do what you like to do. Of course, I also want you to stay, because I really enjoy living with you, but it will always be your decision.’  
‘Thank you’, Gavin sighed. ‘I think I ruined the morning, huh?’  
‘Hey, I stared it, didn’t I?’  
Gavin smirked. ‘I guess.’  
They continued to lay in bed, until Richard excused himself to the bathroom with the promise to come back soon. Gavin still wasn’t content with the whole situation. Richard hadn’t done anything wrong and really; he was the problem here. The human looked out for every single one of his triggers, never pressed, never touched him without invitation, always put himself second and cared about him in all honesty. Maybe it was time to at least take a step his direction, regardless of what his paranoid, overthinking processors told him.

He didn’t have to wait long for Richard to come back to him. He smiled, scooting back and hugging the human from behind once he had laid down next to him. He nuzzled into the short hair at the back of his neck and sighed.  
‘You know what? I thought about it.’  
‘About what?’, Richard asked, turning his head and promptly having it pushed down on the pillow again.  
‘About that testing phase’, Gavin explained. ‘Let’s say we finished alpha testing and are now in beta phase, hm?’

Gavin couldn’t see it, but he could hear the man grinning as he answered: ‘Sounds good.’


	6. Part 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was prompted by the amazing Hirien. Hope you enjoy!

‘Gavin.’  
‘Hmm-Hmm?’  
‘You do know I have to get to work, right?’  
Gavin opened his eyes slowly, unwilling to face reality just yet. He smiled at Richard lying next to him, head perched on his hand and hair messy from sleep. The human returned the smile and gently brushed along Gavin’s cheekbone, hovering long enough before the touch to give Gavin the chance to duck away. As if the android wanted that. Nines’ contact had soon become a treasured sensation he couldn’t get enough of. But the gesture itself was something Gavin admired deeply. The human never took what he needed but asked and offered.  
‘I know’, the android grumbled with regret. ‘But does it have to be now?’  
Richard laughed. ‘Yes, actually. I’m already late. Don’t get me wrong if I was in charge, I would stay in our little world of blankets forever. Come on. Let me go get ready. We can continue in the evening, alright?’  
‘Fine’, Gavin complained, but threw him a cheeky grin afterwards. ‘I’ll hold you to it.’

He watched the man get dressed admiring his toned muscles and dotted skin maybe a little too much. Well, he was well beyond embarrassment or self-consciousness. ‘Stay safe’, he said, as his eyes fell on the surprisingly only scar the man had. An old gunshot wound that had led to severe complications in the hospital. ‘Okay?’  
Richard pulled his shirt over it and turned around while buttoning it up. ‘I’ll try my best Gavin. Will you be okay?’  
‘Yeah, you know me, will spend the entire day catching up on your old series. Nah, I’ll be fine.’  
Nines nodded, eyes lingering a moment too long on the android.  
‘Didn’t you say you were late for work?’  
‘Oh, fuck. Yes.’

Gavin laughed as the man practically jumped into his pants and ran out of the door, trying to put on his socks on the way. The low thud from outside told Gavin he wasn’t too successful.  
‘What a chaos human’, the android mumbled, standing up to at least check on him. Nines just threw him a lopsided grin, got back up and left for the door. Gavin watched him speed off from the driveway with screeching tires and shook his head once again. How did the man ever make it Detective?

-

Truth was Gavin never switched on the television and rather sat on the couch looking at the different framed puzzles on the wall Richard had completed. The touch from minutes ago still lingered on his cheek, the ghost of the man’s affection. More and more often lately, Gavin thought about their talk weeks ago. _We are in beta phase now._ He had never seen the human happier as in that moment. What made him think once again about how much the man had gifted him with and how little he had received in return. Yes, it wasn’t a competition and Richard had reassured him time and time again that he had everything he needed and was happy. But still Gavin wanted to give him something. But what could he possibly do? Buy him another puzzle, was his first thought, but he disregarded that. He could do that later, he wanted something special. Something that showed the human what Gavin couldn’t tell him himself.  
Something both of them would enjoy and would but Gavin’s mind at ease. That already excluded everything that involved crowds of people. And to be honest, the android still didn’t know much about the man. He knew what he liked to do to pass time, he knew he enjoyed their mornings and evenings spent in bed and he knew his favourite food. He knew every small gesture and habit of his and how to interpret it. But what the man did for fun outside their home, he had no clue about.

Maybe if he could… Gavin eyed the phone sitting on the coffee table. Should he? He didn’t actually want to do it, but there was no other way, was there? So, he took the phone and called the right number.  
‘Hello?’  
‘Connor?’  
‘Yes?’  
‘This is G-G-Gavin’, he started. ‘I neeeed your he-he-help with something.’  
‘Sure thing. Does it involve Richard?’  
‘Yes’, the android nodded. ‘In a way at least.’  
‘Is he okay?’  
‘Yes! Y-y-yes he’s aaaalright. I’m just… What does he d-d-do for fun?’  
‘For fun?’ Connor grew silent. ‘Oof, that’s a tough one. He likes watching series and movies. Likes puzzles way too much. He likes practically anything that’s warm and fluffy…’  
‘And wh-what about outsiiide the house?’

‘You looking for a place to go on a date?’, Connor asked after staying silent for a while.  
‘Wh-wh-what? Nooo, of co-c-course not.’  
‘Really?’  
‘Okay, I th-th-th- He does so muuuch for me. Wanted to taaake him somewheeere h-h-he enjoys.’  
He heard laughter from the other side. ‘Hey, no need to get flustered about. He really likes aquariums. But be warned, if you take him there, he will have a hard time concentrating on you.’  
Gavin thought about it. That wasn’t actually such a big downer. He wanted to do this for Richard after all.  
‘Th-th-thanks Connor. That heeelped.’  
‘Hey, ask me anytime. Have fun on your dat-‘  
Gavin cut the line.

-

The android had checked when the human’s next free day would be and ordered two tickets online. Now to the hard part. Telling him.  
‘Urgh, can’t wait to stay in bed all day tomorrow’, Nines sighed as he stretched his back that was aching from the long day at work.  
‘Then I have to disappoint you’, Gavin said slowly.  
‘What? Why?’  
The android looked up at the frowning human and pulled the tickets out of his pocket. ‘Surprise?’

Richard took them and smiled. ‘Okay, that might be the single thing better than staying in bed all day.’  
‘Really? You l-l-like it?’  
‘Yeah, sure, I love it. Can’t wait to go with you.’  
‘Me neither.’

-

They were on their way to drive to the aquarium and Gavin felt giddy for some reason. Maybe it was only nervousness, but he really looked forward to it.   
The large complex appeared before them and Nines parked his car, offering Gavin his hand on the way over the android gladly accepted.  
They showed their tickets to the android behind the counter that welcomed them and showed them to the entrance.

At first, Gavin was a bit intimidated by the sudden darkness, but with the sound of bubbling water from the filters and pumps and the human next to him visibly relaxing, it subsided fairly quickly. A moment later Nines was already excitedly hurrying from tank to tank, pointing out the different species to Gavin who could have looked them up anyways and telling him all he knew about them. His excitement was infectious, and Gavin soon found himself in their own little bubble watching different types of fish and listening to Nines’ enthusiastically talking on and on. Soon Gavin didn’t even notice the other visitors and was completely at peace with the world around him.

They wandered through the aquarium and more than once Gavin was completely content with just standing there and watching Nines look after the fishes that swam past the glass in a hurry, trying to get a glimpse at all of them.  
His favourite moment of the whole afternoon though was when they came to a large tank that spanned from the ground up onto the ceiling and was curved inwards with a few benches positioned right in front of it.  
‘Come on, this is my favourite spot!’, Richard called out to him with a toothy grin. He basically pulled Gavin with him by the hand he had been holding for how long Gavin couldn’t exactly remember and Gavin had to jog a few steps to keep up. Nines sat down and waited until Gavin joined him on the bench.  
‘And?’, the human asked, momentarily pulling his eyes from the mesmerizing picture in front of them. ‘Do you like it?’

Gavin couldn’t really find words how much he liked it. The curve of the glass made it appear as if they were in their own little compartment in the middle of the enormous tank and everything else was blocked by faux stone pillars. It was like they were completely alone.  
‘I… It’s like being in there’, he whispered. ‘It’s wonderful.’  
Nines grinned and laid an arm across Gavin’s shoulders. ‘I often imagine how it must feel. Obviously, I don’t want to be a fish, but it must be amazing. Feeling weightless and feeling the water flow past. I like this spot the most. Makes you feel completely cut lose from the world.’  
Gavin nodded. He had to agree, but he wouldn’t find words that described the feeling better than what the human had just said.  
‘I really like it’, was everything he could sigh out as he followed one silver being to the next and back.

‘Thanks for inviting me out here’, Richard said after a while and rubbed the android’s shoulder gently. ‘It’s really nice sharing this with you.’  
‘It’s your money’, Gavin shrugged, but immediately regretted his words. He wanted to say so much more, tell him he would stay, that he wanted nothing more than to stay. Forever. But he knew the moment he would try to, his voicebox would fail or stutter or distort his words and he wanted it to be perfect, especially when nothing about him was. How could he tell him that, without using his words, without phcking it up? His LED turned red, he could see it in their reflection in the glass and so could Nines.

‘Gavin? Is everything alrig-‘  
‘Phck it!’, Gavin cursed, then turned to the human and quickly, far too hurriedly, pressed a kiss on his half open lips, before turning back again in jerky motions to look to the ground.  
Nines stared at him, red blush complimenting the android’s blue one and lifted his fingers to his lips.  
‘I-I-I’m sooorry.’  
‘What?’ Richard focussed back on the android and reached for his hand. ‘Gavin, there’s nothing to be sorry for. It just… surprised me. I thought we were still in Beta phase?’  
Gavin looked up shily, but his grip on Richard’s hand was strong. ‘I’d think we are past that. If you want to move on.’  
‘Sure. Sure, if you feel comfortable with that.’ The man practically beamed next to him. ‘Would you want to… to repeat the kiss? Properly?’ Gavin nodded and both moved in more careful this time. Their kiss was slow and thoughtful, and Gavin knew the moment they separated he would want another one.  
Nines himself couldn’t quite believe what the android had initiated, but he was immensely happy he had. For once in his favourite spot to watch fish and calm down, he decided to block out anything but the android in front of him.

**Author's Note:**

> You can prompt a story like this yourself if you want! Just head over to my tumblr @fandom-necromancer, message me on twitter @Schreibmachin4 or contact me in any way!


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